Herkgen Campaign
The Herkgen Campaign, also known as the Liberation of Herkgen, was a five year long campaign to retake the devastated United Earth Republic colony world of Herkgen from the Universal Generation, beginning in 2148 and ending on February 5th, 2153, similar in manner to Operation: BUTCHER, during the events of the Herkgen Rebellion, several Months earlier before the arrival of the Universal Generation. The victory at Herkgen, served as humanity's longest and only known event against the Universal Generation during the final years of the Galactic War's first Era, all other engagements previous and during this operation were known as minor skirmishes up until the second Era of the Galactic War by 2158. Prior to the Campaign 'Encountering the Universal Generation' On August 2nd, 2147, Arkor, Herkgen's orbital station, detected Rapid Conversion entering the system on long range sensors; the cruiser registered as an unknown object but determined the ship was constructed of materials beyond human science. The Universal Generation, were at the time not aware of the Organic universe, but did discover the Arkor Orbital station on their scanners. Seeing this as an Immediate threat, the Fleet immediately turned towards Herkgen where Arkor raised the Planets full alert for all military personal. Despite a massive warning from Arkor, the Universal Generation broke in and Invaded the station massacring its entire crew of 899 personal, in the aftermath of this attack, Universal Generation Kaiser Nortance 41, discovered in the database of the station that they were in a galaxy far from their own, and that the creatures that they have just slaughtered with ease were nothing more but Human men, women, and children. Seeing Humanity as weak and countless beings, the Universal Generation fleet destroyed Arkor, and entered Herkgen airspace within minutes. In the events of this slaughterous Invasion, Governor Niles Lunar issued an order for all humans native to Herkgen to be assembled in Urania, the capital, for immediate evacuation. Many chose not to leave and were killed in the subsequent ground battle and glassing. A week after the evacuation order Universal Generation forces destroyed the outer city of Gladsheim. Lieutenant Commander Millie alonia assumed command of military forces and the evacuation plan was finalized on August 23rd. Captured intelligence revealed the Universal Generation's now interest was in killing all Humans on the planet, as many who surrendered were automatically struck down during the ground Engagement, that was immediately overrunning the cities and villages around Herkgen. A mortally wounded Alonia used a fake U.E.R Evacuation Vessel in a bold attempt to lure one of the attack Universal Generation Orbital Hail Arora Bombarders into the sights of the colony's Mass driver. The ship was disabled after two rounds and crashed. In the ensuing confusion and temporary lifting of Universal Generation air superiority, a militia strike team secured the ruined space platform of Arkor. 360 refugee-Kenmor cargo freighters ascended the space elevator to the station and prepared to flee into Hyperspace; unfortunately - due to superior capabilities of the Universal Generation - 145 freighters were destroyed before they could escape. During the following months, the Rapid Conversion's crew repaired the ship and steadily continued the glassing of Herkgen, gradually destroying the GORGON automatons in which the remnants of the AI Moran were housed. 'U.E.R Counter Attack' In response to this, the UNSC went to full alertand began mobilizing the largest fleet in United Earth Republican naval history. However, they needed an experienced commander to lead it. They turned to Vice Admiral Preston Jeremiah Cole, a retired veteran of the Realm Insurrection and a brilliant tactician. Cole reluctantly agreed, and was promoted to full Admiral. When Cole's fleet of forty ships arrived at Herkgen, they found the same, colossal ship in orbit. The Universal Generation ship immediately opened fire and began picking off Cole's ships one by one. Both Magnetic Accelerator Cannons and Oberson-class nuclear missiles had no effect on the alien energy shields and the fleet began to lose integrity. Cole had a last-minute tactical inspiration: ordering the fleet to fire all its weapons simultaneously. This ploy won the battle at the cost of thirteen UER vessels. ''Retaking Herkgen 'Early Victories' Despite Cole's pyrrhic victory, another group of Universal Generation ships entered the Organic realm from Hora, in the months following Herkgen;s Occupation and began swarming the Outer Colonies where they were determined to retake control of Herkgens, and not lose to a bunch of Weak minded humans. They sent ships there and engaged UER forces on the surface as well as in space. The Universal Generation were clearly having fun with Humanity and showed no sympathy for any of the Battlegroup, as they constantly destroyed one retreating ship after another, leading to Humanity's first deadly Massacre in the history of their entire Existence, by an alien power, while the Universal Generation would stop at nothing to achieve it. The UER continued to retaliate, with most engagements occurring in the ruined cities of Herkgens. Eventually, the UER gained the upper hand on the ground and began to slowly push the Universal Generation back. It was soon assumed that victory was inevitable, with UER forces taking back most of what was left of the planet. These victories, along with Cole's original victory, were being broadcast across the colonies, as a sign of hope to boost morale. However, the Universal Generation still held a tremendous advantage in space and won numerous engagements against the few ships the UER could spare, as the majority of Cole's fleet was spread across the Outer Colonies. 'Space Engagement' Following the Universal Generation's victories in space, their vessels began to Orbital Bombard even more of Herkgen, killing helpless UER forces on the surface. More Universal Generation ships began to arrive at Herkgens and deployed additional troops on the ground, eradicating almost all human presence on the planet. UER forces were battered, and forced to retreat across the planet, leaving the Universal Generation free to scour the planet for for the remaining surviving humans hiding in the ruins of the Cities, where they were eventually killed after being found. One such instance of the new Universal Generation retaliation killed two ZARTEN-II supersoldiers, Amy-023 and Amanda-303. After the Universal Generation forces led by Kaiser discovered a Human safe haven in the ice, the Universal Generation began Excavations around the Glaciers in an attempt to Burn the Humans out, or drown them in the caverns. In a last ditch attempt to remove the Universal Generation, the Mar-class heavy cruiser URS Prophet was sent to Herkgen. The Prophet managed to destroy several enemy ships, and set up a small forward outpost on the ground. However, the ship was critically damaged and became stranded, with its reactor leaking lethal radiation. An ANL Prowler was present in-system to witness the battle, but, in order to maintain stealth, made no attempt to evacuate any survivors from the Prophet and jumped out of the system to inform ORBITAL WARFARE instead. Final Act of Liberation On January 6, 2153, while in a UER staging area in interstellar space, Admiral Cole received a message from Commander Orez of the Armed of Navel Leadership. Orez informed Cole that the Prophet had repelled newly arrived Universal Generation warships in the Torus System, and that there were survivors to be rescued. The URS Incora was chosen by Cole due to its role as a support ship rather than a warship. The Incora, along with a frigate, arrived at the system on February 4, 2153; three days after the Prophet's crew sent their message. 'Second Space Engagement' Upon their arrival, Karen, the Incora's onboard Artificial intelligence, analyzed the URS Prophet, and reported that the ship's nuclear reactor was damaged and was releasing harmful doses of radiation throughout the ship. The Incora attempted to draw Universal Generation search and destroy legions away from Hunter by using its MAC and HAVOK nuclear warheads upon enemy craft. While it destroyed a number of dropships, they destroyed only one Universal Generation capital ship, as the rest gathered behind the Prophet to avoid being fired upon. Fire Team Armen, commanded by Sergeant Jack Henrage, was transported to the ship, but their Home Dropship was fired upon and made a crash landing on the URS Prophet. The landing resulted in the death of a Marine and forced the survivors to use torches to burn their way into the Prophet. The team split up, with Henrage heading for the NAV room and the rest of Fire Team Armen searching for survivors. Karen noted to Henrage that the ship's AI, "Flo", may act "peculiar" due to elevated radiation levels. Henrage was initially denied access to the navigation room by Flo due to multiple counts of misconduct in the former's service record. After Henrage reminded the AI of the Universal Generation boarders and stated that his actions were in compliance with the Cole Protocol, Flo allowed the sergeant entrance into the navigation room to purge the data. Flo then activated a three-minute self-destruct timer and informed Henrage that his team was in Bay 2. Upon his arrival at Bay 2, the team quickly evacuated with some of the Prophet's crew. After arriving back on the Incora, the survivors were taken to the Medical Bay, where Karen informed Henrage that the radiation poisoning that the crew sustained was too severe and that they would certainly die. After the threat in space was destroyed, the Army of Naval Leadership kidnapped a civilian scientist, Ellie Andersakia. ANL wanted her to decipher a Universal Generation message written in odd Hyrogliphics ''(Regian Hieroglyphics). Andersakia was then sent to the Incora's via the UER Last Gleaming. Upon her investigation, along with the discovery of who the Alien robots were, she concluded that the message meant that "Destroy" was to be for all Humans Planet side. Shortly thereafter, Andersakia scanned the northern polar region of Herkgen, concluding that there were Humans trapped under the ice, while attempting to use it as a Safe Haven, with Universal Generation forces excavating and Thawing them out. 'Ground Engagement' During the land engagement, Alpha Base served as a staging point for Henrage's reconnaissance patrol near the Excavation site, where the remaining Herkgen Civilians were. In the early stages of the ground battle, Andersakia redirected a squadron of AV-14 Stragglers on their way to Rally Point Cork near Alpha Base to investigate activity readings on Quadrant 4, where they discovered a significant concentration of Universal Generation forces, and several Million dead bodies in 2 Excavated Craters, where the Refugees were hidden. Sergeant Henrage was sent to investigate further, but the Universal Generation had already moved on. During this time, Alpha Base was destroyed and was occupied by the Universal Generation while the UER forces in the area were scattered. 'Push towards the Excavation Site' As a response, the Incora sent UER reinforcements to retake the Alpha Base. Henrage managed to rally survivors and recapture the area, destroying the Universal Generation presence with assistance from Falcon bombers. The Marine forces then reestablished the base, from which Henrage led an assault to capture and rescue the final batch of Civilians left on the planet, who were now on the verge of drowning from the Universal Generation's Excavations. As the UER forces approached the Excavation site, the Kaiser ordered all UG forces around the Excavation site to enter the Ice and kill the Civilians by Invading it. However, the UER managed to destroy to breach the Ice Walls, and enter the flooded caverns, pushing their way into the interior of caves. Upon capturing the Caverns, several Reprise Fighters disengaged their active camouflage and attacked Henrage's group. 'Universal Generation Counter Attack' When Henrage and his team were pinned down, a Riviera Walker than broke into the caverns and decimated a large portion of his men, this sudden change of events forced Henrage to evacuate what was left of his unit, deeper into the caverns, despite the flooded Terrain. The UGN's Ror, Forge, and Tohar, soon arrived from the South in order to observe the Battle below where at the same time they had Orbital Cannons ready, just in case the Humans were able to turn the events. However the URS Incora spotted the vessels approaching from the South, but was more concerned on why only one was concentrating on the Battle outside the Excavation site, and the other two were hovering above the Riviera. 'Securing the Refugees' Now trapped in the Caverns, Arman Company, began to fight their way through the flooded tunnels, while at the same time tried to evade falling Debris coming down from the ceilings. Despite harsh resistance in the tunnels Henrage along with the remaining units of Arman Company had managed to find the refugees in one of the caverns ruined chambers on a rock surrounded by Freezing cold Water. After rescuing the surviving Refugees and placing them on Mule Transports, Henrage, and his men escorted the Civilians through the remaints of the cave, until they reached a Ruined UER base ontop of Mt Gori. Henrage and his men managed to clear the Ruined base from the Universal Generation, but the Battle in the Mountains caught the sight of the Riviera Walker that was secretly following the unit, along with the Forge, and Tohar. In a desperate attempt, Henrage used what ever resources he had in order to try and hold the base against the Riviera Walker, but continued to experience High casuilties. As the Battle progressed on the Universal Generation's side, Andersakia, attempted to contact all remaining UER forces on the planet for help, but she would later become dissapointed and enraged after learning that the UER forces around the Excavation site, and elsewhere are also being overrun. As the Riviera pushed Henrage and his team far up the Hill, Henrage decided to make a bold and desperate attempt to destroy a large portion of the unstable slope and force the Riviera to slide off the side of the Mountain. Though he had managed to succeed in placing the Explosive charges all around the hill, while his men covered his back from Universal Generation forces advancing up the hill, the Riviera managed to climb its way through the ruble and still reach their lines. As all hope appeared to be lost, Henrage, ordered his men to hold their ground and fight to the bitter end, even if they all perished. Just as the Riviera was about to destroy his entire Unit along with the remaining survivors of Herkgen, the URS Incora decended from the Upper atmosphere and attacked both the Tahor, and Forge, forcing the Riviera's attention away from Henrage and his men. With the Riviera distracted, along with the Sudden disperse of both the Forge and Rohar, Sergent Henrage quickly used this towards his advantage and managed to counter attack against the Universal Generation forces coming up the hill. In a quick attempt Dr. Andersakia, had managed to hack inside one of the down Universal Generation Reprise fighters, where she later discovers that the only way to destroy the Riviera Walker is either by shooting it inside the Mouth several times, or hitting it from above on one of its major Explosive cores on its Back. 'Destroying Riviera' With time running out, A Home drop ship managed to transport Henrage and a few of his Marines ontop of the Riviera, where they managed to fight their way onto the center back where the Cores were located, but also notice the URS Incora in the distance under heavy fire from the Ror, Forge and Rohar. Thinking quickly Henrage managed to radio in a couple of fighters in the area, to concentrate on the 3 Hail Arora Vessels and force them away from the Incora. The tactic worked giving the Incora a fighting chance and allowing the vessel to destroy both the Ror, and Forge. With 2 ships out of commissioned the Rohar attempted to Orbital bombard the UER forces in the fields outside the Excavation site, but the vessel was shot down by the Incora before it could act. With the skies now clear, Henrage radioed in the Riviera's position to the Incora, where it managed to launch an orbital bombardment of the Core of the Riviera Walker causing it to both Explode and violently emplode the Insides of the giant walker. Henrage and his men managed to escape the Riviera just as it exploded and regroup with the rest of his unit on board the Incora. Just as Henrage was on the way to the Incora, a large amount of UER reinforcements than arrived from Orbit, and deployed soldiers all around the Field, overrunning and terminating the remaining Universal Generation units on the Planet. Herkgen, had at last been liberated. Aftermath The information gained by the Universal Generation from many of the civilians that were Interrogated before death, led them to the discovery of Azar, another Colony planet which also consisted of humans. Andersakia was drawn to the same planet after examining the civilians that escaped the caverns. The Universal Generation attacked Azar on February 9, 2153, closely followed by the URS Incora. Overall, the entire campaign was one of the UER's earliest and greatest victories, against the Universal Generation, and was also known as the fifth major Engagement where the Universal Generation was defeated, along with also being known as the 1st major engagement in the history of the Android military where a Riviera Walker was destroyed in the process by Humanity. Despite sustaining heavy casualties, the UER had managed to retake Herkgen, which, although devastated, held important strategic value. The victory also boosted morale immensely across the colonies, proving that the Universal Generation were not invincible and could be beaten. However, as the Universal Generation began to destroy the Outer Colonies and move in on the Inner colonies by 2158, Herkgen lost its strategic value by 2163, and the UER began pulling back to protect more important worlds such as Hokus VII and Earth. ''Trivia'' Category:Battles of the First Era of the Galactic War Category:The Galactic War Category:Galactic War Era Category:Universal Battles Category:2148 Category:2149 Category:2150 Category:2151 Category:2152 Category:2153